Saturday, June 30, 2012

Mr. Mazhar Abbas (PFUJ) Conveniently Forgets the Ugly Role of Jang Group and GEO TV in Media Gate - Since Mr. Mazhar Abbas brother Azhar Abbas is a Director in GEO TV therefore he conveniently forgets to mention the Ugly Role of Jang Group and GEO TV in maligning the Supreme Judiciary of Pakistan - Keep it up Mr. Mazhar, earlier you were supporting no good Dr Shahid Masood while forgetting his Ugly Role in Dr Shazia Khalid Rape Case. Mr. Mazhar Abbas while blaming others for switching TV Channels for better pay package has completely rather conveniently forgotten the conduct of his own self (Mazhar Abbas also frequently swith TV Channels )of his own brother Azhar Abbas who also switched his job when he went to become Director of Dawn News in 2007 and what was more shameful that Azhar Abbas and Hameed Haroon invited a Military Dictator i.e. General Perevez Musharraf to inaugurate Dawn News in May 2007 right after blaming General Pervez Musharraf for the Bloody Carnage of 12 May 2007 http://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2012/06/mccarthyism-talat-hussain-vs-najam.html wherein more than 40 innocent persons lost their lives. If I remember correctly, Mr Mazhar Abbas had also invited ISPR Chief to the Karachi Press Club during the Marital Law of General Pervez Musharraf --------- 2012: CPJ Can Pakistan's corrupt media be checked? With ratings driving the profits of media channels, journalists and political talk show hosts are being motivated to stir up controversy at any cost. Meanwhile, the professionals who believe in credibility, objectivity, and honesty as essential parts of ethical journalism are becoming sidelined. This corruption within the media is spreading like a cancer, and there seems to be no antidote. If it is not checked, it could prove fatal for the media industry. We must take steps to address this problem ourselves. If not, Pakistan's journalists could lose the credibility they have earned from years of struggle. Earlier this month, a video recording of the off-air conversation between two prominent talk show hosts on Dunya TV was leaked. The hosts, Mubashir Luqman and Mehr Bokhari, were speaking to controversial real estate tycoon Malik Riaz in what was purported to be a confrontational interview broadcast on-air. But the leaked video showed the hosts off-air agreeing to questions, discussing questions to be planted, and talking on the phone to government officials about how to construct the debate. The video appeared on YouTube [here and here, both in Urdu] a few hours after the show aired, and generated a huge debate both in print and online media about the hosts' credibility. Dunya management claimed there was a conspiracy to defame the channel and ordered an internal inquiry. Bokhari, meanwhile, struggled to clarify her position and denied involvement. Luqman was fired because of the insulting remarks he made about Mian Aamir, the station's owner, that were broadcast in the leaked video. All 17 of the Pakistani Supreme Court's justices took notice, too. They watched the recordings in the presence of Abdul Jabbar, chairman of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority. It was not an official proceeding, but Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry questioned Jabbar about his inaction over the interview, the leaked video, and other TV programs ridiculing the judiciary. Even while the consensus within the Pakistani press was that the credibility of broadcast media had been brought into question, talk shows' viewership went unaffected. This was no surprise: In the past, hosts fired from one station went to another, often with a much higher pay package. REFERENCE: Can Pakistan's corrupt media be checked? By Mazhar Abbas/CPJ Guest Blogger June 29, 2012 3:02 PM ET http://cpj.org/blog/2012/06/can-pakistans-corrupt-media-be-checked.php

Now read as to how Mr. Mazhar Abbas who is allegedly a Senior Journalist is defending a fraud of highest degree and that too in the name of "Freedom of Press/Freedom of Expression"

2009: Media under attack — again Wednesday, November 25, 2009 Mazhar Abbas Ex-secretary general, PFUJ, Islamabad As a mark of protest against the move to ban Dr Shahid Masood's programme Meray Mutabiq, I withdraw my name from the list of journalists invited to accompany Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on his official visit to Germany and the UK from November 30 to December 4. It does not mean that I agree with Dr Masood's views, but it is the most undemocratic way and use of dictatorial tactics to silence someone's voice that has hurt me. I hope the prime minister will order an investigation into the matter and allow Dr Masood to express his views on air. I thank you, Mr Gilani, for inviting me, but after this action my conscience does not allow me to undertake that journey. Dr Masood's language and views, at times, violate the generally accepted norms of journalism, but the answer is not to gag the press like General (r) Pervez Musharraf did. He too had approached the UAE government in November 2007 to dislodge Geo and ARY from Dubai. Shahid Masood has always been an emotional person. I know him since he was in Sindh Medical College. He used to bring press releases of the Peoples Doctors Forum, PPP's medical wing, while I was working in an evening newspaper in Karachi. I met him first during a hunger strike by young medical doctors outside Karachi Press Club. He was a great admirer of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto. Later, I came to know that he went to London and for sometime also worked at the Pakistan Peoples Party Secretariat. During his stay in London, he started writing for an Urdu evening newspaper in Karachi before joining ARY. I may be mistaken, but he too was a 'jiyala'. When he joined the channel, the electronic media was in its infancy but his programme "Views on News" started getting a large viewership. The Iraq war gave him the real boost. Dr Masood's language skills and oratory made him the most popular anchor in the early years of the electronic media in Pakistan. At the same time many started believing that his views had tilted from left to centre, and afterwards from centre to right. During this period he hardly ever cared about the established journalistic norms, but within years he stole the show and became the head of that news channel. Later, he joined Geo and did a successful stint there. Also Geo TV never 'owned' his programme, meaning that he was free to speak his mind and the channel saved itself from any possible legal battle. I never liked his joining the state-controlled media organisation and he suffered a credibility loss when he became its managing director – a post he should have never accepted. He remained close to President Asif Ali Zardari for sometime and would not have left the job had Sherry Rehman not been the information minister. Through Meray Mutabiq-II, he made a comeback and to his luck President Zardari's poor decision of not restoring the deposed judges gave a real boost to his programme's ratings. The naive move of President Zardari's camp to use the influence of the UAE authorities will only help Dr Shahid Masood, and the government will be the ultimate loser. As far as life threats to Dr Shahid Masood are concerned I think he should return to Pakistan and resume his programme from here. There are journalists in Pakistan who have bravely faced life threats. My only question, however, is that why recently Dr Masood and Shaheen Sehbai went to meet Asif Zardari as reported by Hamid Mir. All I want to say to Dr Masood is that "Life and death are in the hands of God. Let's face it, Doctor sahib." REFERENCE: Media under attack — again Wednesday, November 25, 2009 Mazhar Abbas Ex-secretary general, PFUJ, Islamabad http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=210260&Cat=11&dt=11/25/2009

Real Face of Dr Shahid Masood

Dr Shahid Masood is basically a Sanctimonious Prick and a first class intellectual Dishonest, he started his career from ARY when it's no good founder Haji Abdul Razzaq Yaqub aka Gold (a money launderer and Gold smuggler) was facing Accountability Cases and when Shahid was there he used to sermon everyone and used to say things for which he now attack others if they say the same things on Military, Fall of Dhaka etc.etc and he was very fond of Dr A Q Khan and attacked Musharraf for forcing A Q Khan to admit proliferation. He later became pragmatic and became the fast friend of not only Musharraf but also joined even worse Bordello "The Jang Group and GEO" and exploited the Lal Masjid issue and wrote False Columns in Daily Jang and The News and rascals like Mazhar Abbas, Hamid Mir, Ansar Abbasi, Ahmed Noorani, Shaheen Sehbai , Kamran Khan and Mir Shakil ran campaign in his favour , therefore don't just blame Dr Shahid but every Media House for running amok and for ruining sanity in Pakistan ! Watch and enjoy

Dr Shahid Masood's Journey from ARY to GEO

News are sometimes wrong, says Shahid Masood after SBP refutes claim (Dunya News TV 26 Jan 2018) Frauds, Intellectual Dishonest and Masquerades like Mazhar Abbas, Hamid Mir, Ahmad Noorani, Ansar Abbasi , Talat Hussain and their head-pope Mir Shakil ur Rehman and their 3rd rate News group Jang which has accommodated Touts like Kamran Khan and established Yellow Journalism in Pakistan and institutionalized Corruption in Journalism cannot just put all the blame of yellow journalism on a third rate Dr Shahid Masood (worse than a police informer) , Jang Group is equally responsible for ruining the journalism in Pakistan

Dr Shahid Masood's Lies from GEO TV and More Lies from News One

Now read how "Ignorant Mr Mazhar Abbas" is and Mr. Mazhar was supporting a Fraud like Dr. Shahid Masood.

LAHORE: Noted TV show host Dr Shahid Masood is surrounded by yet another controversy after the surfacing of allegations regarding his role in forcing Dr Shazia Khalid out of the country. Shazia had alleged that an army officer had raped her in a hospital while she was serving in Balochistan in 2005. The controversy is associated with an email circulated with the name of noted defence analyst Dr Ayesha Siddiqa. The email said Dr Shahid Masood and another person, Mohsin Baig, harassed Dr Shazia, warning her that she and her family would be assassinated if they did not leave the country immediately and if the proceedings of her case were not halted in Pakistan. Dr Shazia was quoted as saying that Dr Shahid and Mohsin Baig made her rush out of the country. Daily Times tried contacting Dr Shahid a number of times for comments, but failed to get through. British refusal: Also, documents obtained from reliable sources in the British Home Office revealed that Masood was denied asylum in the United Kingdom for fraudulent practices.

According to the documents, he travelled to the UK on April 26, 2000, with his family. Masood sought asylum in Britain on May 3, 2000, but his request was denied by the British authorities who stated, “On June 9, 2000, a decision was made to give directions for his removal from the United Kingdom as mentioned in Section 16(1) of the Immigration Act 1971 and to refuse to grant asylum under paragraph 336 of HC 395.” Paragraph 336 of HC 395 authorises British officials concerned to remove any individual who enters the UK illegally. While giving the reasons for the rejection, the authorities wrote, “He claimed to have entered the United Kingdom on April 26, 2000, using a Pakistani passport of which he was not the rightful owner, accompanied by his daughter and his sister and her two children.” Dr Shahid attached a statement of evidence form SEF3 dated May 16, 2000, asylum interview record SEF4 dated June 5, 2000, and other documents supporting his application. The document mentioned Home Office Reference Number M1045053, and Port Reference Number EDD/00/4390. REFERENCE: Another controversy surrounds Dr Shahid Masood * Email claims TV anchor had role in forcing rape victim Dr Shazia out of country * Masood denied UK asylum for faudulent practices Staff Report Saturday, June 19, 2010 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010%5C06%5C19%5Cstory_19-6-2010_pg7_4

Former PTV chief Dr Shahid Masood. — File - ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Television Corporation has served legal notice on its former chief Dr Shahid Masood for recovery of Rs5.1 million which he had to pay as per his contract before leaving the organisation. Acting Secretary Information and Broadcasting Mansoor Sohail informed the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday that on May 27 the PTVC had sent the legal notice to the former PTV managing director, who also held the additional charge of its chairmanship for some time. The issue came before the PAC when it was scrutinising the ministry’s audit report for the year 2008-09. The cabinet secretariat vide its notification dated June 21, 2008, appointed Dr Shahid Masood as managing director of PTVC with the additional charge of chairmanship. He assumed the charge on the same date. As per appointment letter dated June 27, 2008, his contract period was five years and in case of early termination of the contract a notice of six months was required from either side or gross salary in lieu thereof. The gross salary of the officer was fixed at Rs850,000 per month.

Dr Masood tendered resignation which was accepted by the prime minister with effect from November 3, 2008. The officer did not serve the notice of six months and, therefore, was liable to pay the gross salary amounting to Rs5.1 million in lieu of the notice period. The irregularity was reported to the management on April 2, 2009, and to the ministry on June 1, 2009. PAC Chairman Chaudhry Nisar Ali said when it came to public money no favour should be done to anybody; therefore, the committee backed PTVC’s decision to serve legal notice on Dr Masood. Commenting on the overall working of the information ministry, the PAC chairman said the ministry was keeping its various operations secret which over the years had cast shadow over its affairs. Accepting that the ministry during PML-N’s two terms in power also remained involved in such activities, Mr Nisar called for a serious re-examining of its working. “Until this day, I am unable to understand why the ministry keeps a secret fund,” he said, warning that next time the PAC would like to know each and every penny spent by the ministry.

PTV FOUNDATION: The PAC directed the secretary information, who is also chairman of the PTV, to wind up its foundation whose affairs over the years had gone from bad to worse. Mr Sohail informed the committee that since taking over the charge of the ministry, he had a couple of meetings with the foundation’s board of directors and found it was not a viable option. In response, the PAC chairman said the committee also recommended the same and was willing to extend help to the PTV administration. The PTV board of directors in its meeting held on August 28, 2001, had approved incorporation of the PTV foundation. As per its charter, the foundation was established to carry on the business of advertising, publishing, film making, drama production to establish, operate studios, theatres and other institutions for the promotion of science, art and culture. So far the foundation has consumed Rs30 million loaned money but failed to start even a single project. REFERENCE: Notice served on former PTV chief Shahid Masood By Khawar Ghumman Wednesday, 02 Jun, 2010 http://news.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/local/islamabad/recovery-of-rs5.1m-notice-served-on-former-ptv-chief-260 The audit officials apprised the committee that Rs 5.1 million was outstanding against former PTV managing director Dr Shahid Masood for violating his contract. PAC seeks report on official website of Presidency * Audit officials inform committee PTV incurred loss of Rs 31.875 million by not recovering dues against sale of airtime By Zeeshan Javaid Wednesday, June 02, 2010 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/print.asp?page=2010%5C06%5C02%5Cstory_2-6-2010_pg7_12

KARACHI: Renowned anchorperson and news analyst, Dr Shahid Masood, has assumed the responsibilities of President of ARY Digital Network, ARY NEWS has reported. “Dr Shahid Masood has joined ARY Digital Network as President. He will be the administrative head of all the sub companies of the network,” said an announcement by the group issued here Thursday. Salman Iqbal, CEO and MD of the group, has felicitated Dr Masood on assuming new responsibilities and wished him a good luck, the channel reports. Dr. Shahid Masood will also host the ARY News programme Views on News. REFERENCE: Dr Shahid Masood joins ARY Network Updated: Thursday June 3, 2010 8:48:25 PM http://www.thearynews.com/english/newsdetail.asp?nid=49918

It is very strange that during any self-created Crisis by Musharraf {e.g. Dr. Shazia Rape/Baluchistan insurgency}, Dr Shahid Masood ‘found’ himself in the centre of it e.g. nobody had that access to Dr. Shazia, Akber Bugti, Attaullah Mengal and Bugti’s grandson Brahamdagh Bugti like Dr Shahid Masood. You might have noticed that when the Parliamentary Team wanted to go to meet Bugti in Dera Bugti, Baluchistan the Pakistan Armed Forces refused clearance but isn’t it strange that Dr. Shahid ‘successfully’ conducted detailed interviews of Bugtis and not only that he recited letters from Dr. Shazia and even if that was not enough he travelled with Dr. Shazia and her husband from Islamabad to London or Dubai. Not a single noted journalist in Pakistan was successful enough to meet with Dr. Shazia while she was in impregnable security in Karachi. But years of blind following of everything we are told, we have become so pathetic that nobody questions as to why there is always Dr Shahd Masood in the middle of conspiracy created by General Musharraf?

* Email claims TV anchor had role in forcing rape victim Dr Shazia out of country * Masood denied UK asylum for fraudulent practices - LAHORE: Noted TV show host Dr Shahid Masood is surrounded by yet another controversy after the surfacing of allegations regarding his role in forcing Dr Shazia Khalid out of the country. Shazia had alleged that an army officer had raped her in a hospital while she was serving in Balochistan in 2005. The controversy is associated with an email circulated with the name of noted defence analyst Dr Ayesha Siddiqa. The email said Dr Shahid Masood and another person, Mohsin Baig, harassed Dr Shazia, warning her that she and her family would be assassinated if they did not leave the country immediately and if the proceedings of her case were not halted in Pakistan. Dr Shazia was quoted as saying that Dr Shahid and Mohsin Baig made her rush out of the country. Daily Times tried contacting Dr Shahid a number of times for comments, but failed to get through. British refusal: Also, documents obtained from reliable sources in the British Home Office revealed that Masood was denied asylum in the United Kingdom for fraudulent practices.

According to the documents, he travelled to the UK on April 26, 2000, with his family. Masood sought asylum in Britain on May 3, 2000, but his request was denied by the British authorities who stated, “On June 9, 2000, a decision was made to give directions for his removal from the United Kingdom as mentioned in Section 16(1) of the Immigration Act 1971 and to refuse to grant asylum under paragraph 336 of HC 395.” Paragraph 336 of HC 395 authorises British officials concerned to remove any individual who enters the UK illegally. While giving the reasons for the rejection, the authorities wrote, “He claimed to have entered the United Kingdom on April 26, 2000, using a Pakistani passport of which he was not the rightful owner, accompanied by his daughter and his sister and her two children.” Dr Shahid attached a statement of evidence form SEF3 dated May 16, 2000, asylum interview record SEF4 dated June 5, 2000, and other documents supporting his application. The document mentioned Home Office Reference Number M1045053, and Port Reference Number EDD/00/4390. REFERENCE: Another controversy surrounds Dr Shahid Masood Saturday, June 19, 2010 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010%5C06%5C19%5Cstory_19-6-2010_pg7_4

Dr Shahid Masood and Mohsin Baig came from Islamabad to see us in Karachi. They told us they had met with the high authorities there and that we had no choice but to leave Pakistan as our lives were in danger.

They asked us where we wanted to go. We argued that we did not wish to leave, but they insisted our lives were in serious danger and we could not stay in Pakistan. We said Canada was the logical choice. I have a sister-in-law and a brother-in-law and family friends there, but I had never been out of Pakistan before. So they brought us the forms for Canadian immigration which they said they would submit on our behalf. Not much time had passed since the incident so I was still in shock. REFERENCE: Shazia Khalid and the fight for justice in Pakistan Zainab Mahmood, Shazia Khalid, and Maryam Maruf, 25 September 2005 http://www.opendemocracy.net/democracy-protest/pakistan_2868.jsp

Dr Shazia Khalid is the victim of the much-publicised Sui rape case that precipitated a bloody confrontation between the Bugti tribesmen and the Pakistan Army in January 2005. The people of Sui town were almost unanimous in their belief that Shazia was raped by Captain Imaad, an officer in the contingent of the army’s Defence Security Guards unit posted at the gas installations of the Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) in Sui. However, General Pervez Musharraf denied the claim, insisting that Imaad was innocent. This gave rise to speculations that Shazia may have been a pawn in a conspiracy by antisocial elements to malign the Pakistan Army. Even so, the most glaring feature of the episode were the attempts by the PPL management and the security agencies to thwart the investigation. No headway was made in the case until the evidence was destroyed, leading to suspicions that the authorities were sacrificing transparency in order to protect the image of the army. REFERENCE: “How can they conduct an investigation when they have destroyed the evidence?” By Dr. Shazia Khalid http://www.dawn.com/herald/sep05.htm

KARACHI, Feb 3: The role of the Pakistan Petroleum Limited was disappointing in the alleged rape case in Sui, the husband of Dr Shazia Khalid said in an interview with Dawn here on Thursday. Khalid Aman, a petroleum engineer working for a Chinese petroleum company in Libya, accused PPL officials of putting pressure on her wife to keep silent on the alleged incident. She was advised to call it a simple robbery incident. He said that even the brother of the doctor was not informed about the incident on the day it took place and told about it only after Dr Shazia was taken to Karachi from Sui and admitted to a psychiatric hospital three days later. Mr Aman said that the PPL management had also advised the brother not to pursue the rape case and just have a robbery case registered. Mr Aman said: "We need justice and want the man responsible to be arrested and punished in accordance with law."

About his wife being declared a 'kari', Mr Aman said: "We belong to Khuhra Town, taluka Gambat, district Khairpur. My wife's family migrated from there to Karachi some 40 years back. My grandfather lives there and he has been putting pressure to declare Dr Shazia as a 'kari' and that I should part ways with her. I am with my wife but she was very disturbed after his statements appeared in a section of press and we now feel insecure." Mr Aman denied that a jirga was held at his native town and said there were just some statements from his grandfather that were published in a section of the press. Recalling the night between Jan 2 and 3, Mr Aman said his wife was on call and had left her room at around 7.30pm on Jan 2, taken a round of the ward, and came back to her room after half an hour. She offered her prayers, watched TV, and went to bed by 10pm. He quoted Dr Shazia as saying: "I was fast asleep when I felt someone pulling my hair. I woke up and got frightened. Somebody grabbed my neck and did not allow me even to move.

I managed to pick up the receiver of the phone on the bedside table, but he snatched it from my hand, hit my head with it, and tied my wrists with the telephone wire. He also made a noose round my neck with the telephone wire and tightened it so that I had a problem in breathing. "I resisted but he overpowered me. I then begged him to leave me for the sake of Allah. I asked him as to what my fault was and why was he doing this to me. He ordered me to keep quiet otherwise a man was standing outside with kerosene and he had a matchbox. He said if I raised an alarm, he would set me on fire. I could not see him as it was dark and he had blindfolded me with my dupatta. He beat me brutally, then assaulted me and wrapped me in a blanket." Mr Aman said that after an hour, the intruder again assaulted his wife. The doctor begged him again to leave her alone. The man replied: 'It is now 3 o'clock and I will leave in the morning.' He ordered her to keep silent. He asked for cash and jewellery from her, and she told him that the cash and jewellery were in the cupboard.

She heard the sound of the cupboard being opened. She again asked him to leave her room but he did not say anything. After a while, she heard the sound of a match being struck. She got afraid of being killed and started reciting the kalima and other Quranic verses. She again begged the man to spare her and said: "You have destroyed my life, now why are you setting me on fire?" Mr Aman said that according to his wife, the man did not reply and she heard some sounds from the bathroom. Then the TV was switched on and she heard channels being changed. The man watched TV till the Fajr call to prayer. She heard the outer steel gate being opened and closed. She remained in bed for 15 to 20 minutes and then tried to compose herself.

She removed the covering from her eyes first with her tied hands and later she managed to cut the telephone wire with a pair of scissors. She unlocked the door as her keys had not been touched. She went straight to the nursing hostel and knocked on the door of a nurse, Sakina. Sakina's husband opened the door and found the lady doctor badly injured. Sakina then informed the administration of the PPL and the DCMO, Dr Mohammad Ali, Dr Irshad, Dr Saima Siddiqui, nurse Firdous and Salimullah came to see her in Sakina's room. She asked them to call her brother and his wife and she would tell them everything. She was told that they could not be called to the Sui gas field. The chief medical officer, Usman Wadha, advised her not to report anything as the defence security guards (DSG) and police would investigate, and she would have to appear in court and it would lead to a lot of hue and cry.

She was later given an injection and she became drowsy. She was told not to see anyone. She was kept in Sakina's room and not in the hospital and even her injuries were not treated. On the night of Jan 4, Dr Irshad and his wife took Dr Shazia to Kandhkot, where they stayed overnight and in the morning of Jan 5, she was shifted to a psychiatric hospital in Karachi, her husband said. Later, her brother was informed, and on Jan 11, Dr Aman said he came to Pakistan from Libya when an examination was conducted. He said Dr Shazia had joined the PPL Sui gas field on June 23, 2003. During her interview, she was asked about her husband, and she had told them that her husband was a petroleum engineer. "I was called for an interview and asked if I would join PPL if I agreed to be posted at Sui. I expressed my happiness over this, but I was not appointed", Dr Aman said. "The company on one way or the other refused all the time whenever I applied for a job and finally I got a job with a Chinese company on June 23, 2004. I was first sent for training to Sudan for two months and then to Libya." REFERENCE: Rape victim under pressure to keep mum By Arman Sabir 04 February 2005 Friday 24 Zilhaj 1425 http://www.dawn.com/2005/02/04/nat6.htm

Journalists who are presently running the Electronic media are still living in 80s and 90s and they think that like in the past their “Investigative Stories” will topple the government [I am least bothered if it is toppled half an hour later] what they forget that Time is changed and medium of expression is changed. No doubt people still read newspapers but people have multiple resources to recheck and reconfirm the news particularly the news these journalists filed earlier which they contradict later. Therefore, they would have to do better than just raising the bogey that such and such blog is owned by Zardari or Haqqani. [Do read about Husain Haqqani and and his past on this very blog] - The Pakistani Journalist/Media didn't get that there is a medium called "Alternative News" and now go and ponder if you have little time left from your Pathetic Yellow Journalism.

Mazhar Abbas [EX President Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists] was pathetic in 2010 CNBC’s program wherein Afzal Butt [Rawalpindi Journalist], Late. Khalid Khawaja’s son and Rasheed Rehman [Editor Daily Times] were participating. Both the journalists were doing their best to protect Hamid Mir and advising “patience” to Khawaja’s son, saying “Campaign against Hamid Mir should be stopped but what about Constant Campaign against an Elected Government and above all Politicians without any cogent reason in the same Media? At one point Rasheed Rehman said “the way we [Journalists] are violating the code of ethics, this newly acquired Press Freedom “Ghus Jaigi - Would stick up...” while Rasheed Rehman patiently listened to Mazhar and Afzal but when he started his reply Mazhar [his elder Brothers, Zafar [BBC/Dawn Group], Azhar [Director GEO and he temporarily worked in DawnNews as well and then again shuttled back to GEO] and Afzal started interrupting Rasheed Rehman – These Senior Journalists instead of being sanctimonious should stop acting like “Common Stock Brokers/Traders” who switch TV Channels more rapidly than Stock Brokers switch Partners.

Would Mr. Mazhar Abbas like to inform the people about the findings of committee formed on Mr. Hamid Mir alleged role in Khalid Khawaja affair?

2010: Committee to probe charges against Hamid Mir Thursday, May 20, 2010 ISLAMABAD: A conversation purportedly between Hamid Mir, the host of Geo programme ‘Capital Talk’ and columnist of daily Jang, has been uploaded on different websites, says a statement issued by the spokesman of Geo/Jang Group. A committee has been constituted by the Group to get detailed information in this connection. Members of the committee have held preliminary talks with Hamid Mir in which he has disowned the voice (said to be his) and termed the audiotape fabricated. For credible investigation, the committee has called upon professional journalist organisations to come forward to uncover the truth. Hamid Mir has assured that he would fully cooperate in the investigation so that the truth is unearthed. He also said that some people want to ostracise him from the profession and they are defaming him as part of a conspiracy. REFERENCE: Committee to probe charges against Hamid Mir Thursday, May 20, 2010 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=28969&Cat=13&dt=5/20/2010

On 25 May 2010 GEO TV “Kehnay Mein Kiya Harj Hai”, Hamid Mir did it again without naming Sheikh Rasheed, he named Sheikh Rasheed in Tape Controversy. Mohammad Malik, Mr. Masood Sharif, Mazhar Abbas also participated and Mohammad Malik [Senior Correspondent] was again being Sanctimonious [Malik filed a report in Jang and News on Govt Plans against Media]. When Hamid Mir’s Damage Suit is pending in the Court of Law then why this Open Contempt of Court? Background of Mr. Mohammad Malick [Senior Correspondent The News International/Jang Group of Newspapers and GEO TV. Introduction of Mohammad Malik: Kamran Khan, Mohammad Malick, The News, GEO TV & Corruption in Print Media. http://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2009/08/kamran-khan-mohammad-malick-news-geo-tv.htmlhttp://pkpolitics.com/2009/06/03/journalist-corruption-scandal-mohammad-malick/

Tuesday, May 18, 2010: Editorial: The Hamid Mir affair By Rashed Rahman Hamid Mir, a prominent TV anchor, has seen fit to respond to a story carried by Daily Times (May 16, 2010, “Hamid Mir’s terrifying indiscretions”, plus a transcript of a purported telephone conversation between Mir and an unknown militant of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan) with a vicious campaign against the publisher of the paper, Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer. In his latest column in Jang (May 17, 2010, “Aasteen key saanp”), he has continued his canards against Mr Taseer, including implying he was an “aasteen ka saanp” (snake in the sleeve) of the PPP. While the language and tone of Mir’s campaign against Mr Taseer is deplorable, he also needs correction on a number of other counts. DT’s story that has aroused the ire of Hamid Mir had been circulating on the web and in the new media for days before DT picked it up. The allegation in the story was that the above referred to a telephone conversation, if genuine, that showed Mir giving information on Khalid Khwaja that might have led to his execution on April 30 by the Asian Tigers extremist group who had captured him. Now that the story has been aired, Mr Mir, instead of becoming apoplectic and missing the point, should consider the following. The publisher of DT has a track record of not interfering with the policy of the paper. It remains one of the few newspapers that adhere to the safeguarding of the institution of a professional editor and editorial autonomy. If Mr Mir has a bone to pick, it should be with the editor, not the publisher, and that too while adhering to civilised norms and language. Tilting at the publisher betrays some preconceived prejudice, if not depreciating and denigrating the editorial independence enjoyed by the paper’s editor. In DT’s editorial “Shocking revelations” (May 17, 2010), we argued: “There should be a thorough investigation into the matter by the security agencies. It should first be ascertained whether it was actually Hamid Mir or an impersonator on the audiotape.” We did not pass judgment on the genuineness or otherwise of the audiotape, but left room for the possibility that it was a forgery, as Mir has subsequently claimed amidst his loud protestations of innocence. In an inadvertent admission, however, he says the audiotape is an amalgam of bits and pieces of other conversations (innocent journalistic exchanges, according to him). Even if this is conceded, there is sufficient in the ‘bits and pieces’ to arouse alarm. Surely Mr Mir should welcome the opportunity to clear his name if the tape is indeed a forgery. On the other hand, if it turns out to be genuine, Mir has a lot to answer for and the law should take its course. The country is in the middle of a life-or-death struggle against the homegrown jihadis who have declared war on the state. Journalists, who are engaged in an increasingly precarious and dangerous profession in conflict areas, may be required for professional reasons to keep lines of communication open with the ‘enemy’. However, this does not give anyone, journalist or not, room to transcend the law of the land or the ethics of his profession. If the tape is genuine and Mir did say the things about Khalid Khwaja that are on the tape, a prima facie case is made out for his arraignment on charges that could include being an accessory before the fact to the murder that followed, as well as in possible violation of the Army Act (applicable to civilians in times of war). The statement released by the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan denying the contents of the tape and trying to clear our intrepid anchor’s name has done more to muddy Hamid Mir’s case than anyone else could have. With friends like these... Unlike Hamid Mir’s personalised diatribes since the storm broke around his head, which we do not wish to dignify by stooping to the same level, we advocate a thorough investigation to allow Hamid Mir a chance to prove his innocence or otherwise. Whichever way it goes, let the wheels of justice be set in motion to get to the bottom of a sordid and murky episode that reveals nothing more than the possible hidden links of the extremists at war with Pakistan with certain sections of our ‘free’ media. The turn from the pro-jihadi policy of old to open conflict and war against the cancer within our body politic that threatens the state may have left such ‘linked’ parts of the media nostalgic for the past ‘good times’ and desperate to see these enemies of a civilised democratic society succeed by hook or by crook. History, however, appears to have passed on and left these antediluvian warriors whistling in the wind. * Editorial: The Hamid Mir affair By Rashed Rahman Tuesday, May 18, 2010 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\05\18\story_18-5-2010_pg1_4

Sunday, May 16, 2010 Hamid Mir’s terrifying indiscretions LAHORE: A shocking audiotape of a conversation between Hamid Mir – one of the country’s top TV anchors – and a man purportedly linked to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, has revealed that negative information that Mir passed on to the Taliban could have led to the execution of Khalid Khawaja, the retired Air Force official allegedly killed by a group calling themselves the ‘Asian Tigers’. The tape – which has Mir divulging dirt on Khawaja, ostensibly to someone who is going to cross examine him – was first posted by the Let Us Build Pakistan blog, and picked up by other online publications, including Café Pyala. It is still unclear who made the tape, with online speculation suggesting that it could be the militants themselves, or even intelligence agencies who released the recording. Whatever the source may be, it is clear that one of the voices on the tape is Mir’s, a fact corroborated by his allusions to events such as his sacking from the daily Ausaf. In the tape, the person on the other end asks Mir for information on Khalid Khawaja. The content of the conversation suggests that this call was made before Khawaja’s execution earlier this month. Mir goes on to detail what he knows about Khawaja’s background, linking him to the CIA, an international network of Qadianis and an American named Mansur Ejaz, who, Mir claims, even offered to solve the Kashmir issue.

At one point, the voice on the other end claims to have abducted Khawaja. Here, Mir volunteers further information linking Khawaja to the Lal Masjid operation, saying that Khawaja and his wife were the ones responsible for the death of Ghazi Rasheed and the humiliating capture of Maulana Abdul Aziz and his family. Mir then urges the man to cross-examine Khawaja about his relationship with Mansur Ejaz, Qadianis and a CIA agent named William Casey. Mir also mentions Javed Paracha – the Kohat-based PML-N lawmaker who offered to mediate Khawaja’s release. Towards the end of the tape, the voice on the other end says that he will relay the information (that Mir has given) to Hakeemullah Mehsud. staff report

Ansar Abbasi has almost indicted Hamid Mir in the case of Khalid Khawaja: Live with Talat – 20 May 2010 MAY 20, 2010 . in Live with Talat Naseem Zehra (Anchor), Zafar Abbas (Resident Editor Dawn), Kashif Abbassi (Anchor) and Ansar Abbasi (Analyst) Ansar Abbasi and Talat Hussain’s statement telecast above which has almost indicted Hamid Mir, Ms. Nasim Zehra [Former Key Member of General Musharraf's Think Tank] has also raised doubts on Hamid Mir’s confusing and constantly changing statements. Ansar Abbasi did the same in (Tonight with Jasmeen – 23 May 2010 Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cA1pGeewzhI Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CGHnbXsoQ8 Part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfSk17cQ5PA Part 4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4uuTQLgB4E Part 5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Yqq5GtfedI Ansar Abbasi said in Jasmin Manzoor Program that, he talked with Hamid Mir and Hamid said that its not his voice and then Ansar deny himself that Hamid also said that as per Hamid Mir “some of his old calls were mixed and rejoined!!! What a Tragedy. Is this what you call Colleague or Professional Courtesy.

2010: Hamid Mir saga Dawn Editorial : The controversy surrounding television anchor and columnist Hamid Mir refuses to go away, and for good reason. Many questions remain unanswered. A purported telephone conversation between him and an unknown militant has shocked the country and the journalistic community in particular. If the person on the line is indeed Mr Mir, an explanation is in order about his possible ties with militant organisations. He must also answer allegations that the information he ostensibly provided may have contributed to the killing of Khalid Khawaja, a former ISI official belonging to the air force who had been abducted by the Taliban. Mr Khawaja, believed by many to be a Taliban sympathiser, is repeatedly described as a CIA agent by the man who sounds uncannily like Hamid Mir.

Mr Khawaja and his wife are also held responsible in part for the bloodbath at Islamabad`s Lal Masjid. The person on the phone also spews venom of the vilest kind on the Ahmadi community. Slain Taliban leaders are referred to as martyrs.

Mr Mir denies most of the conversation and has served legal notice on the paper that broke the story. He claims that he and the organisation that employs him are being victimised for their consistent criticism of the PPP government and President Zardari in particular. Hamid Mir, who is not short of detractors even within the media, also maintains that the audio `recording` is the work of the Intelligence Bureau which took a voice sample and then produced an entire conversation with the help of a “special gadget.”

Mr Mir has every right to proclaim his innocence but that alone will not suffice. In this digital age it is child`s play for independent experts to confirm whether or not the voice on the tape is Mr Mir`s. It is just as simple to distinguish a doctored recording from an unedited conversation. The credibility of the media is at stake here. What is needed is an investigation that is carried out with an open mind and whose outcome is accepted and acted upon by all parties. This is imperative if allegations of unethical conduct by the media and charges of dirty tricks by the government are to be laid to rest. REFERENCE: Hamid Mir saga Dawn Editorial http://archives.dawn.com/archives/30111

GUARDIAN Monday 17 May 2010: Lahore Pakistan's pugnacious media world was plunged into controversy today when a leaked audio tape apparently linked its most popular television presenter with the execution of a Taliban hostage. The tape purports to be a recording of a phone conversation between the journalist, Hamid Mir, and a Taliban spokesman about the fate of Khalid Khawaja, a former intelligence agent being held by the Taliban. In the tape Mir describes Khawaja as a CIA collaborator, questions his Islamic credentials, and accuses him of playing a treacherous role in the 2007 Red Mosque siege in which more than 100 people, including the chief cleric, were killed. When the abductor asks the journalist whether Khawaja should be released, he urges him to further interrogate him. Last month Khawaja's bullet-pocked body was found on a roadside in Waziristan with a warning note to other "American spies". As debate about the tape swirled in media circles, Mir issued a strenuous denial saying the tape had been fabricated by his enemies in government to destroy his reputation and silence him.

"I never said these things to these people. This is a concocted tape," he told the Guardian. "They took my voice, sampled it and manufactured this conspiracy against me."

But several senior journalists said the tape sounded authentic and one called on the government to investigate further. "There are serious allegations to be answered," said Rashed Rahman, editor of the English-language Daily Times newspaper. "If this tape turns out to be genuine, it suggests a journalist instigated the murder of a kidnapee. A line must be drawn somewhere." The Taliban added to the controversy by issuing a statement that denied the tape was real but, confusingly, threatened the state telephone company for having taped the conversation. The acrid arguments have thrown Pakistan's normally tight-knit media community into a spin as some of the country's most contentious issues – militancy, politics and the role of the powerful, overwhelmingly rightwing media – have come into focus around the death of Khawaja, a controversial figure in his own right.

Khawaja, a former Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) agent and chief co-ordinator of a human rights group, who claimed to have met Osama bin Laden, travelled to the tribal belt in March with Sultan Amir Tarar, another former ISI agent, and Asad Qureshi, a documentary filmmaker. Khawaja had promised the journalist an interview with Hakimullah Mehsud, the Taliban leader who was almost killed in a CIA drone strike in northwestern Pakistan in January. However, the three men were kidnapped, and the Taliban demanded money and prisoners in return for their freedom. On 24 April the Taliban issued a video showing a strained-looking Khawaja admitting to having worked for the CIA and betrayed the Red Mosque clerics.

A week later, after his execution, Mir wrote a detailed account of Khawaja's life. He recycled the allegations against the former ISI agent, attributing them to militant sources. Mir has vowed to take his critics to court, but for now the controversy is playing out on the pages of the Pakistani press. Mir said the recording had been doctored by the Federal Investigation Agency, a security agency that has been frequently attacked by the Taliban. But he said the slurs had been politically orchestrated by the Punjab governor, Salman Taseer, and Pakistan's ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani, who, he said, had released the tape on a blog.

"This blog has a personal grudge against me and it is being operated from Washington by our ambassador, Husain Haqqani," he said. Haqqani said: "We do not dignify conspiracy theories with comment." He denied any role in the tape recording. Some Pakistani television channels have carried the allegations but others have avoided it. " "For too long we have protected our own," said Rahman. "Now we have to speak out." Mir said he was instituting legal proceedings against the Daily Times. Khalid Khawaja's wife declined to comment. "I don't want to say anything," she said. "This is a very, very dirty conspiracy and I don't want to indulge in it." REFERENCE: Pakistani news presenter accused of link to Taliban hostage's murder Leaked audio tape purportedly reveals phone conversation between Hamid Mir and a Taliban spokesman about hostage Declan Walsh in Lahore Monday 17 May 2010 19.50 BST http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/may/17/pakistan-taliban-hostage-murder-tape

2010: What was the last mission of Khalid Khwaja? Hamid Mir Sunday, May 02, 2010 ISLAMABAD: The last mission of ex-ISI officer Khalid Khwaja failed but his assassination exposed many hidden secrets, including differences between the Afghan Taliban and the Pakistani Taliban, and has put a spotlight on his highly complex underworld life, as a mediator, sometimes on behalf of the Americans, a power-broker, a mover and shaker besides an ardent Islamic preacher. Squadron Leader (retd) Khalid Khwaja had been playing an active behind-the-scene role in domestic politics of Pakistan for the last 22 years. He became an important international player 11 years ago when he first tried to establish direct links between the Kashmiri militants and the Clinton Administration but failed. He had been trying to establish direct contacts between the USA and the Taliban for the last five years. He also tried to mediate between the Pakistan Army and the Taliban many times in the last two years but all his efforts failed due to lack of trust between him and the current military leadership of Pakistan. His known contacts with some former CIA officials and an American businessman Mansoor Ijaz also created problems for him. He was intelligent enough in maintaining links with Americans and their critics like Hameed Gul at the same time but unfortunately he could not anticipate the seriousness of his adversaries, who did not miss any opportunity to strike against friends and foes alike.

He was sacked from the ISI on the direct orders of General Ziaul Haq in 1987 but he remained active with the ISI even after his sacking. He was the right hand man of former DG ISI Hameed Gul in 1988 and played a significant role in the making of the anti-PPP political alliance, the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI).

He claimed that he arranged a meeting between Osama bin Ladin and Nawaz Sharif in Saudi Arabia in 1989. He made this revelation just a few weeks before the dismissal of Nawaz Sharif government in 1999. Khalid Khwaja tried to convince Nawaz Sharif not to support Asif Zardari as president in August 2008 but the PML-N leader did not listen to him.

Khalid Khwaja was assassinated by a group of Punjabi Taliban on April 30 near Mir Ali in North Wazirastan. He was kidnapped on March 26 along with another former ISI official Col (retd) Ameer Sultan and a British born Pakistani filmmaker Asad Qureshi. An unknown group of Punjabi Taliban, with the name of Asian Tigers, alleged that Khalid Khwaja was working for the ISI and the CIA but that was not the main reason behind his killing.

A few weeks before his abduction, he met Taliban leader Waliur Rehman Mehsud in North Waziristan and handed over a list of some militants and alleged that they were working for Indian spy agencies. Within a few hours of that meeting, the vehicle of Waliur Rehman was attacked by a US drone but the Taliban commander survived. Waliur Rehman immediately informed the Punjabi Taliban to be careful about Khwaja, who then decided to trap him.

A spokesman for Punjabi Taliban hinted on Saturday that “charges against Col Imam are not strong and we may release him”. He also admitted that the Afghan Taliban were also putting pressure on the Punjabi Taliban to release the former ISI colonel.

While talking to this scribe on phone from North Waziristan, the spokesman reacted to the statement of Khalid Khwaja’s wife, who declared that her husband was a martyr because he was killed by some criminals.

The spokesman for the Punjabi Taliban said that both Mr and Mrs Khalid Khwaja played an active role in Lal Masjid tragedy in July 2007. They forced late Abdul Rashid Ghazi not to surrender but disappeared when the operation started.

Some friends of Khalid Khwaja, however, tell a different story. They say that Khwaja was arrested just a few days before the operation in Lal Masjid but they also admit that Khwaja was not supporting the surrender.

It is also learnt that Khalid Khwaja was investigated by a three-member committee of the militants for more than four weeks. Initially, Khwaja claimed that he had moved a petition in the Lahore High Court against the drone attacks along with former PML-N MNA Javed Ibrahim Paracha and he came to North Waziristan for recording the statements of drone victims to be produced in the court on April 6.

The militants confronted him as to why on the one hand he was opposing the drone attacks but on the other hand he was trying to establish contacts between the USA and the Taliban. The militants claimed that he arranged a meeting between US Under Secretary of State Karen Hughes and a religious cleric Javed Ibrahim Paracha in 2005 in Serena Hotel, Islamabad. They also produced some articles downloaded from the Internet and asked about his links with former CIA officials, James Woolsey and William Casey.

Khwaja had met these former CIA officials through an American businessman Mansoor Ijaz, who was very close to the Bill Clinton administration. Ijaz played a key role in forcing the Sudanese government to expel Osama bin Ladin from Khartoum in 1996 and helped Khwaja to establish direct links between the Taliban and the Bush administration in October 1999 when he wanted Mulla Omar to meet James Woolsey to avert an American attack on Afghanistan. Mulla Omar refused to meet the then CIA leader.

Next year, Khalid Khwaja tried to fix a meeting between American businessman Mansoor Ijaz and Kashmiri militant leader Syed Salahuddin. Khwaja contacted Salahuddin through his friends in Jamaat-e-Islami and informed him that Mansoor Ijaz wanted to deliver a letter from Bill Clinton. Syed Salahuddin came to know that Mansoor Ijaz had meetings with Indian Army officials in Srinagar in early 2000 and also with then Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf. He smelled a rat and refused to meet Mansoor Ijaz. Shortly after these attempts by Ijaz, a ceasefire was announced by a rebel Kashmiri militant commander Abdul Majid Dar in July 2000 but it failed. Majid Dar was assassinated after sometime in Kashmir.

Khalid Khwaja was arrested in 2002 after the murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl in Karachi. Khwaja had exchanged some e-mails with Pearl just a few days before his killing. Later, Marianne, the widow of Pearl, informed investigators that Pearl contacted Khwaja through Mansoor Ijaz and he only tried to help her husband in obtaining the contact numbers of some militants. Khwaja was released after a few weeks.

He surfaced again in 2005 when he gave an interview to a foreign newspaper and claimed that he was instrumental in arranging funds for a training camp established by a politician from Rawalpindi for Kashmiri militants. The same year he arranged a meeting of an MMA parliamentarian Shah Abdul Aziz, a religious leader from Kohat Javed Ibrahim Paracha and a pro-Taliban businessman Arif Qasmani with some top US officials, including Karen Hughes.

Javed Paracha confirmed that meeting to The News on Saturday and said that it was arranged by Khalid Khwaja. He said: “I was offered a huge amount of money for talking to the Taliban on behalf of the US government, but I told the Americans that first the Pakistan Army must give me a green signal and then I will proceed but Americans were acting on their own and the talks broke down.”

Javed Paracha also said that Khalid Khwaja came to his home on March 25 with Col Imam and a British journalist. Khawja wanted me to help him in his visit to North Waziristan. He said, “May be Khwaja was again trying to establish communication lines between the Americans and the Taliban but I received a clear message from Taliban that your friend is not welcome.”

Paracha claimed that he advised Khwaja not to go there. He said: “I also requested Col Imam not to take the risk. Col Imam was reluctant but Khwaja insisted and they left for Mir Ali against my advice.”

Both Javed Paracha and Khalid Khwaja had close relations with Lal Masjid clerics in 2007. Paracha met Maulana Abdul Aziz and Abdul Rashid Ghazi along with then Federal Minister Ejazul Haq and requested them to surrender. Khalid Khwaja advised Lal Masjid clerics otherwise.

Khwaja became very active in August 2008 when he contacted PML-N leaders and asked them to file a petition against the participation of Asif Ali Zardari in the presidential election. According to PML-N leader Senator Pervez Rashid, “Khalid Khwaja offered us that Nawaz Sharif should file a petition against Zardari and he will manage a Supreme Court verdict against Zardari within 24 hours but we refused to play in the hands of Khwaja.”

Khwaja had played a very active role against the government of Nawaz Sharif in 1999. He claimed in front of some JUI-F leaders that Nawaz Sharif took money from Osama bin Ladin in 1989 and promised that he would not act against Arab militants after coming into power. Those were the days when Americans were putting pressure on Nawaz Sharif to start operations against the Arabs living in Pakistan. The JUI-F and the JI started a mass campaign against Nawaz Sharif and within a few weeks his government was toppled.

This scribe tried to confirm the claim of Khalid Khwaja from Osama bin Ladin in November 2001 but he never confirmed it. Khwaja told American TV channel ABC in November 2007 that he had arranged a meeting between Nawaz Sharif and Osama bin Ladin in the Green Palace Hotel of Madina in 1989 just a few weeks before the no-confidence move against Benazir Bhutto. Osama was reported to have agreed to provide him some money.

US officials investigated this claim from many al-Qaeda operators arrested after 9/11 but only one, Ali Muhammad, told the FBI that a meeting between the representatives of Osama and Nawaz Sharif took place long ago in Saudi Arabia. He never confirmed a direct meeting between the two. Osama bin Laden never liked these claims of Khalid Khwaja who always claimed to be a friend of Osama. Khwaja had no meeting with Osama bin Laden in the last 20 years but he always claimed to be a friend of Osama.

Khwaja and Shah Abdul Aziz met Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud in early 2009. They convinced Baitullah to write a letter to General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani for a ceasefire. The Pakistan Army leadership never trusted Baitullah Mehsud and this effort failed.

Khalid Khwaja filed many petitions in superior courts in his last days. One of them was against the constitutional immunity for the president. His political role is still a mystery. His friends claim that he definitely had relations with some Americans but he was not a CIA agent.

Sources in the military establishment said that he had no mandate of the Pakistan Army for talking to the militants. Some sources said that Khalid Khwaja was used by the Pakistani establishment against Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto many times but he was not trusted in his last days.

The whole drama of his kidnapping and assassination exposed the internal differences of many Taliban groups. A powerful Taliban commander of North Waziristan, Hafiz Gul Bahadar, tried his best to rescue Khwaja but failed due to his limited influence in Mir Ali. This area is mostly populated by Dawars but these days Mir Ali is controlled by Mehsud militants who have provided sanctuaries to different groups of the Punjabi Taliban, including some Kashmiris, who have developed differences with Pakistani establishment after the ban on many outfits during the last few years. These disgruntled militants don’t listen to Hafiz Gul Bahadar and Sirajuddin Haqqani group, which is influential in the areas close to Miramshah. It is also interesting that these Punjabi Taliban have no respect for staunch US critics like General Aslam Beg and Hameed Gul just because they don’t support bomb blasts in Pakistan. REFERENCE: What was the last mission of Khalid Khwaja? Hamid Mir Sunday, May 02, 2010 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=28590&Cat=13&dt=5/2/2010

2009: How an ex-Army commando became a terrorist Hamid Mir Sunday, September 20, 2009 ISLAMABAD: Once he was a blue-eyed boy of President General Pervez Musharraf. He got a cash award from the president for slitting the throat of an Indian Army officer in the year 2000 but after 9/11, he became a suspected terrorist. This terrorist was Ilyas Kashmiri, reportedly killed in a US drone attack in North Waziristan last week. US officials claimed that Ilyas Kashmiri was a senior al-Qaeda commander and his death was a huge loss for the militants fighting against the foreign forces in Afghanistan. Very few people know that Ilyas Kashmiri was a former SSG commando of Pakistan Army. He was originally from Kotli area of Azad Kashmir. He was deputed by Pakistan Army to train the Afghan Mujahideen fighting against the Russian Army in mid-80s. He was an expert of mines supplied to Afghan Mujahideen by the US. He lost one eye during the Jihad against Russian invaders and later on he joined Harkat-e-Jihad-e-Islami of Maulvi Nabi Muhammadi.

Ilyas Kashmiri was based in Miramshah area of North Waziristan where he was working as an instructor at a training camp. After the withdrawal of Russian Army from Afghanistan, Ilyas Kashmiri was asked by Pakistani establishment to work with Kashmiri militants. He joined the Kashmir chapter of Harkatul Jihad-i-Islami in 1991. After a few years, he developed some differences with the head of HuJI Qari Saifullah Akhtar.

Ilyas Kashmiri created his own 313 Brigade in HuJI. He was once arrested by Indian Army from Poonch area of Indian held Kashmir along with Nasrullah Mansoor Langrial. He was imprisoned in different Indian jails for two years and finally he escaped from there after breaking the jail. His old friend Langrial is still imprisoned in India.

Ilyas Kashmiri became a legend after escaping from the Indian jail. It was 1998 when the Indian Army started incursions along the Line of Control and killed Pakistani civilians many times by crossing the border. Ilyas Kashmiri was given the task to attack the Indians from their back. He did it many times.

Indian Army killed 14 civilians on February 25, 2000 in Lonjot village of Nakial in Azad Kashmir. Indian commandos crossed the LoC, spent the whole night in a Pakistani village and left early morning. They slit the throats of three girls and took away their heads with them. They also kidnapped two local girls. The next morning, the heads of the kidnapped girls were thrown towards Pakistani soldiers by the Indian Army.

The very next day of this massacre, Ilyas Kashmiri conducted a guerilla operation against the Indian Army in Nakyal sector on the morning of February 26, 2000. He crossed the LoC with 25 fighters of the 313 Brigade. He surrounded a bunker of Indian Army and threw grenades inside. After one of his fighters Qudratullah lost his life, he was able to kidnap an injured officer of the Indian Army. That was not the end. He slit the throat of the kidnapped officer.

He came back to Pakistan with the head of the dead Indian Army officer in his bag and presented this head to top Army officials and later on to the then Army Chief General Pervez Musharraf, who gave him a cash award of rupees one lakh.

The pictures of Ilyas Kashmiri with the head of a dead Indian Army officer in his hands were published in some Pakistani newspapers and he became very important among the Kashmiri militants. Maulana Zahoor Ahmad Alvi of Jamia Muhammadia, Islamabad, issued a fatwa in support of slitting the throats of Indian Army officers. Those were the days when Corps Commander, Rawalpindi, Lt Gen Mehmood Ahmad, visited the training camp of Ilyas Kashmiri in Kotli and appreciated his frequent guerilla actions against the Indian Army.

His honeymoon with the Pakistan Army generals was over after the creation of Jaish-e-Muhammad. Gen Mehmood wanted Ilyas Kashmiri to join JeM and accept Maulana Masood Azhar as his leader but the one eyed militant refused to do so. The militants of JeM once attacked the training camp of Ilyas Kashmiri in Kotli but he survived that attack. His outfit was banned by Musharraf after 9/11. He was arrested after an attack on the life of Pervez Musharraf in December 2003. He was tortured during the interrogation.

The United Jihad Council led by Syed Salahuddin strongly protested the arrest of Ilyas Kashmiri and on the pressure of Kashmiri militants, Ilyas Kashmiri was released in February 2004. He was a shattered man after his release. He disassociated himself from the Kashmiri militants and remained silent for at least three years.

It was the Lal Masjid operation in July 2007, which totally changed Ilyas Kashmiri. He moved to North Waziristan where he spent many years as a Jihad instructor. This area was full of his friends and sympathisers. He reorganized his 313 Brigade and joined hands with the Taliban but he was never close to al-Qaeda leadership. He attracted many former Pakistan Army officers to join hands with him. The strength of 313 Brigade in North Waziristan was more than 3,000. Most of his fighters were hired from the Punjab, Sindh and Azad Kashmir.

It is alleged that he organised many terrorist attacks in different areas of Pakistan, including the assassination of Major General (retd) Faisal Alvi in Rawalpindi. Alvi was also from the SSG and he led the first-ever Army operation in North Waziristan in 2004. Kashmiri planned attacks on Alvi on the demand of Taliban in North Waziristan. Sources close to his family have yet not confirmed his death in a US drone attack but there is no doubt that Ilyas Kashmiri was actually a creation of the Pakistani establishment like Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi of the banned LeT. The Pakistani establishment abandoned and arrested most of these militant leaders without realising that they had followers all over Pakistan and they could create problems for Pakistan anytime. The establishment is still without any policy about all those who were once declared “freedom fighters” and were honored by the top Army officials like Pervez Musharraf. REFERENCE: How an ex-Army commando became a terrorist Hamid Mir Sunday, September 20, 2009 http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=24626&Cat=13&dt=9/20/2009